Last Thursday, June 15, took place the closing ceremony of the IV edition of the Docens Program, organized jointly by the Vice Rectorate of academic staff and the high school Core Curriculum of the University, with the partnership of the Quality and Innovation Service.

The event began with a colloquium between Pilar Civeira, Emeritus Professor of Internal Medicine and former Dean of the School of Medicine, and Ángel Gómez Montoro, former President of the University and current director of the campus of Madrid. Afterwards, the diplomas were handed out at submission .

Rosalía Baena, Vice President of Students, thanked the participants and collaborators and assured that "this program is essential because it puts the focus on the future; it allows us to abound in reading, reflection and dialogue, which is the basis of the training of a academic staff; and because we see a broader vision of the University".

During the colloquium, the speakers commented on the importance of the student, who should be the center of the task professor. "The professor has the obligation to think of them and to form their head," Civeira emphasized. "From the academic world, I keep the attention with the students, you see their faces, you direct them and follow them and that has helped me a lot and I have been changing," he added. On the other hand, Gómez Montoro assured that the student counseling offered by the University is a crucial task "and I think it is also very rewarding, sometimes it can be tiring, but I can assure you that it is a pleasure to see people, who arrived here very lost, become bright and professional young people," he stressed.

They also discussed the role of the professor in an academic center. For Gómez Montoro, a professor does three things: two "core" tasks, teaching and research and the third is management in different Degrees: "The greatest challenge is to take on the tasks of management little by little". Civeira also explained that, in the academic world, it is necessary to cultivate the idea that professor does not work only for its own interests: "We are instruments of a great project, and I add to my activity, and I believe that this gives great peace of mind staff".

Finally, Gómez Montoro assured that what distinguishes the University of Navarra are the values it has behind it that can help in the debate of ideas: "We have the obligation in the work of professor and research to know how to expose them in the best possible way and with the best arguments".

About the DOCENS Program

The DOCENS Program is a program of institutional culture and intellectual and human attitudes that contributes to the academic development and staff of the young professor at the University of Navarra. It is designed as a medium-long training period deadline, in which the professors of the different Schools reflect in a climate of dialogue on the mission statement and values of the university professor at the University of Navarra. Together with the conferences, seminars, etc., the figure of the mentor, a senior professor of his or her School, contributes in a very relevant way to the program achieving its objectives.

Lourdes Esqueda, professor at School of Communication and one of the participants in this edition of the DOCENS Program emphasizes that "it is a great opportunity to not lose sight of the fundamental issues, of the teleology of our activity professor, research and service at the university. One of the lessons I have learned is the importance of knowing our institution, because you cannot love what you do not know and it is of no interest to know what you do not love. Fostering this knowledge is fundamental to find your link staff with the place where you are".

"I believe that one of the most important tasks that we have as professors and that distinguish us from being mere transmitters of information is to help students in the exercise of their freedom. I am convinced that we university students aspire to the truth and that without freedom it is very difficult to stay the course. The Program emphasizes, above all, the generous submission of our time. In classes and work, of course, but also in counseling," she concluded.